Commuting on sportsbikes.

[Pwalo]

How do you guys who commute on sportsbikes get on in shite weather like we've been having in Wellington for the last few days?

I guess that's a bit of a shock to you Auckland riders, but yes we get rain down here as well.

I know that it's a bit of a pain on my GS which doesn't have a surplus of Hp, and a fairly relaxed riding position so I imagine that it can be a bit of a nightmare on a more powerful/peaky machine. I've seen a few Gixxers and R1s out in the traffic and just wondered if sports fairings work, and how you found riding positions etc?

I'd still fancy a GSXR 600 or R6 :2thumbsup if I could afford one so this isn't a dig in any way at sportsbikes.

[Fart]

When I was at university, which was ages ago, I used to ride my Honda NS400R dayly, in rain or sun. These days I only ride my CBR600RR on weekends. I find that the sports bikes have better aerodynamics and can cover you from wind and rain better if you do over 80 km. I dont enjoy riding in the rain, especially retard drivers who dont see us.

[Lou Girardin]

For what it's worth, the Bandit is miles better in traffic than the RF was. Better vis, better control, better comfort, more manouevreable.

[White trash]

No problem.

One very scuffed Gixxer 1K used daily.

[Maximus]

I arrived in Welly's on Monday, had to leave my bike in Ch/Ch with the missus and I was feeling quite gutted that I had to leave her (the bike) behind. However since i've been in Welly's all it's done is piss down and the wind, well that's another fucken story. So to make a long story short, I dont think im even gonna bother commuting in Welly's, think i'll leave my bike at home and just ride weekends, rain or sine. :weep:

IS IT ALWAY'S LIKE THIS IN WELLINGTON??!!!

[pyrocam]

I use a sport bike for commuting. I had a really shitty ride in the rain last week but the style of bike didnt make that much difference.
I mean, it would have been equally shitty on a cruiser. although, I dont travel motorways to get to work. If I did I would suspect the general shape would be better to ride in wet weather than other various shapes and sizes.

Albeit its a stretch to call my bike a 'sports' bike, its definately got no perk. but from my experience the riding position didnt change much except perhaps a bit more upright because im going slower and need to adjust visor regularly (having rain on visor issues atm) not to mention the need for increased visiability to spot the cagers who havent seen me.

[Krayy]

Can't says as I have a choice (other than a bus, and that entails walking 500m to the bus stop in the rain anyway). As to riding position, mine is fairly upright with no fairing so I bear the full brunt of the weather at the time, but hell, that's what wet weather gears for. I wouldn't fancy my chances hunkered behind a fairing with the imbeciles I share the road with most mornings anyway. Short-shifting is pretty much compulsory for me in wet weather, as the Dorkland roads are caked with so much grease, diesel and other shit that any decent amount of power going through the back wheel could throw you. Nice and easy does it.

That being said, I followed a bloke in this a.m. on a RG150 or something similar who was in a busines suit with just his helmet as protective gear (didnt see any gloves). Don't know how gaberdine, crimpoline or wool blend would handle a skid, but it takes all kinds, huh?

[White trash]

IS IT ALWAY'S LIKE THIS IN WELLINGTON??!!!

Like what?

How the fuck you think Wellys hard core crew have got such a reputation of being untouchable? Riding in this glorious weather.

[Maximus]

Like what?

How the fuck you think Wellys hard core crew have got such a reputation of being untouchable? Riding in this glorious weather.


Well i've heard lots about you blokes here . . . . . :whistle:

But most of it was good! . . . . . . :msn-wink:

[bugjuice]

I use mine for getting from A to B without problem, then scares the crap out of me on the open road. Love it. If you love the bike, then you'll get used to the more cramped position than of those on more upright bikes. It used to ache my wrists and back, but I'm used to it now, and wouldn't want anything less (apart from adding to the k's). If I could afford a 'commuter' bike too, then I might just.. still, the 636 isn't bad

[Sparky Bills]

Can be a bit slippery on piekok hill in the rain, but nothing the R1 cant handle.

Just adds a bit of excitment to the day.
Looks like its drying out a bit, so may be a nice ride home. :2thumbsup

[riffer]

Can't talk about my next bike, but I'll talk about the recently deceased Fizzer.

It's not too bad in the wet and windy. I rode it in to work during last year's February storms when it was horizontal rain and gusting 180+ km/hr.

Maybe it's because it's 200+ kgs its a bit more stable, but I never really had a huge problem with the wind.

The rain is a slightly different matter. As the back tyre started to get to the end of its life I found it would spin up in first and second quite easily - no real problem but a bit interesting when you are lanesplitting on the motorway.

If you got down under the bubble the rain wouldn't touch you.

I'd much prefer a bigger sports bike than what some poor bugger was riding this morning. A 50cc scooter, trying his hardest to keep to the letter of the new law which states you must stay in the left of your lane. He was struggling to keep at 70km/hr and cars were going past in the same lane and giving him all sorts of shit...

Damn stupid new law that one.

[XP@]

Probably a little easier to get on / off a low sport bike in full wet gear. but there again I can only just about climb up to the seat on the F650 on a fine day.

You probably don't have the problem of water dripping down in to the gloves, that you get on the sit up and beg bikes... depends on how sloppy you are at dressing thou

[Death 'N' Taxes]

I commute on mine daily. Slightly too wide for easy lane splitting at traffic lights, but have not found any problems with riding in the wet - just have to concentrate on the old right hand a bit more.

As for riding position, my daily commutes are not long enough for me to get unconfortable - open road is another matter (and ZX9's do not have the most aggressive riding position - I think I'd be stuffed on a Gixxer 1000 or R1).

[flyin]

I commute on a ZZR which is more of a sports tourer but I take it out in all weather.
the last few days have been fun, nothing to stress about just gotta think about the lack of traction when cornerin and all that...... aquaplaning on the motorway to welly this morning was kinda different....... still hasnt stopped me doin 500kms this week,

although its fairly light it does has a fairing so feels quite steady in the wind (still end up hangin off the side to keep it going straight...)
I generally pick my position soon as i set off and try to stay as still as possible in the rain, just wriggle my fingers and toes to keep the circulation goin, means i stay realtively dry, all my pockets were fully dry when i got in this moring!

[inlinefour]

How do you guys who commute on sportsbikes get on in shite weather like we've been having in Wellington for the last few days?

I guess that's a bit of a shock to you Auckland riders, but yes we get rain down here as well.

I know that it's a bit of a pain on my GS which doesn't have a surplus of Hp, and a fairly relaxed riding position so I imagine that it can be a bit of a nightmare on a more powerful/peaky machine. I've seen a few Gixxers and R1s out in the traffic and just wondered if sports fairings work, and how you found riding positions etc?

I'd still fancy a GSXR 600 or R6 :2thumbsup if I could afford one so this isn't a dig in any way at sportsbikes.

Just get on and go. The sooner I start, the sooner I get there...

[vifferman]

A 50cc scooter, trying his hardest to keep to the letter of the new law which states you must stay in the left of your lane. He was struggling to keep at 70km/hr and cars were going past in the same lane and giving him all sorts of shit...

Damn stupid new law that one.
It's not new - just newly enforced. The law has always been that you must keep as far left as practicable.

Talking about bike weight, fairings, etc: having now communtered over the D'Auckland Harbour Bridge on 5 different bikes, the weight doesn't seem to make so much difference in hte wind as the fairing size/shape (eh, Hitcher?:msn-wink: )
I've ridden a nekkid 250, a half-faired VF500, a fully-faired VFR750, a slightly-more'n-half-faired VTR1000, and a VFR800 (full tupperware).

The 250 obviously had the least weather protection.

The VF was pretty good, but my legs got wettish. The bead around the fairing blade caused extra turbulence and helemt buffeting, so I ditched it. The vented front guard and 16" front wheel was better than any of the other bikes in a 3/4 crosswind, whereas the guard on the VFR750 acted like a rudder, and caught the wind gusts coming under the railing, making it weave when in the outside lane.
(Note: Usually, most of the swerving from side gusts of wind is from holding the 'bars too tight, so the wind hitting your arms makes you swerve. Otherwise, if you hold the bars loosely, the bike will lean when a gust hits it, but shouldn't move across the road much.)

The VTR had less weather protection than either of the VFRs, but only marginally, but made up for it by having a slimmer and more slippery fron profile, which meant less drag in a headwind (and conversely, less added thrust from a tailwind!). It also meant less buffeting around the shoulders, but more exposure to rain.

The fairings on the VFRs (especially the 800) and VTR also protected my hands very well, which meant that they received less cooling air in summer. The VTR's amputated rear guard made for a lot of extra water from the rear, something my pillion didn't appreciate when it hit the backpack and ran down the back of the seat underneath her. Oops...
The sporty front guard also meant little weather protection for the engine, which highlighted a slight crack in the front plug cap when it rained.:confused:

One final thought - fairing design can also help in removing water from (and in plastering bugs and crap on!) your helmet visor, with the VFR750 being the best for this, the VTR being slightly worse (windblast lower and narrower), and strangely the VFR800 providing almost no wind-assisted visor clearing. The fairing blade is slightly higher than the VTR's, but much wider, and with a vent at the front, so there is less of an accelerated airstream over it.

[NinjaBoy]

I commuted on a oldish ZX6R and currently a CBR600F4, 56km per day over the Akl Harbour bridge. I was initially worried about the peakiness of the ZX but with a bit mileage under the belt I was quite pleasantly surprised at the rideability of a 600 in heavy traffic. Where the lanes are not too narrow lanesplitting is not a problem. There are some sections on the Southern motorway I don't lanesplit and drop back into the traffic eg. Spag junction. Narrow lanes and too many people trying to change lanes.

The ride position didn't seem to be too bad but sometimes I would get sore palms/wrists. I just have to remind myself to relax my arms (at the elbow).

The fairings on the ZX were great. In light rain my legs didn't get wet at all. The CBR fairing/screen doesn't seem to provide any protection (or substantially less). Double bubble is on the shopping list.

Over the harbour bridge in a strong cross or head wind, I just ensured I was moving at a reasonable speed ( > 60kph) and tucked down low.

[Jantar]

My GS1200SS is a sports tourer rather than a true sports bike, but the riding position is similar. I commute 10 ks each way from home to work, and so far I have hardly ever had any weather related problems.

I will admit though that on winter mornings if the temperature is lower than -6 C, or if there is snow lying on the ground, then I take the 4x4 rather than the bike.

This morning there was a -2 frost for the ride home from work.

[Coldkiwi]

commuting on a sports bike is great. You get agility, a bit of rain protection, good brakes and a decent bit of poke to get out of trouble with. Only downer is the risk of theft and a bit of body cramp if you're otherwise inactive (not an issue if you get excercise that stretches and works back/shoulder/arm muscles)